We recently connected with Marian Saunders White and have shared our conversation below.
Marian Saunders White, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
As a Black female, I have oftentimes been the only one in the room that looks like me. I was fortunate to attend a girls only high school that pulled its top tier students from throughout the city. This put me in classrooms with very few other Black students where I learned early on that that my qualifications for being there was often questioned. Honestly, dealing with the questions concerning my qualifications was probably the easiest to deal with – the comments concerning my hair, my body type, and my overall appearance, these were the tougher scenarios to understand, at least initially. While many of my peers made the decision to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) after graduation, I made the intentional decision to attend a Predominately White Institution (PWI). I wanted to study alongside my white counterparts, hear any objections to my presence in their classrooms, as I prepared myself for their corporations and boardrooms. Of course, I sought out support and mentorship from other Black students, professors, and organizations while on campus. This was extremely important as I was often the only Black female in my Information Systems classes – I tried to balance this by also filling my scheduled with African American studies classes.
My first full-time job placed me in the government defense industry – again predominately run by older, non-Black staff. Since I never wanted anyone to have reason to question my position or qualifications, I made sure I was always prepared for my assignments, read background information on our projects, and stayed ready to give an educated response or at the very least, ask an informed question. My parents always stressed that knowledge is power, something no one can take from you.
When you are the only one in the room that looks like you, it never goes unnoticed. It becomes more prevalent as you take on leadership positions and roles with increased visibility, especially when starting your own business. Although I’ve learned that I can’t stop people from entertaining their uninformed opinions on my presence, I can show them I’m more than adequately prepared to share the room, if not lead the room. Staying current on the latest changes and trends in my industry, continuing my education, and availing myself to mentors, allowed me to remain confident in my ability as an effective, value-add resource to my client and peers.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a dynamic Business and Technology professional and owner of The Refinery, a Management Consulting firm that services the operational needs of small business owners. With over 25 years’ of corporate and entrepreneurial experience in business operations, program and project management, leadership development, contract management, software development, and human resources, I guide other entrepreneurs in their move from chaos to clarity.
Previous to operating my business full-time, I have served as the President of an IT company, providing executive management for clients, vendors, technical and professional staff, while overseeing all aspects of the company’s operations including contract and subcontract management, operating policies and procedures development, and full personnel resource management. I have held other Senior Management roles in IT Software Development, Subcontract Management, as well as Human Resources for several large IT organizations. I also previously owned a Financial Brokerage firm that arranged funding for small businesses and provided management training focused on managing priorities, growth strategies, and creative problem solving.
I received my Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree from William H Taft University. I am also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), as well as a notary in the State of Maryland. I love combining my technical background, Human Resources experience, and entrepreneurial drive to service my clients and inspire other women to pursue their dreams.
I have a passion for helping organizations and entrepreneurs remove obstacles so they can grow and develop their businesses. I also enjoy giving back to my community through acts of service with my sorority and my position on the alumni association board of directors at my undergraduate institution. I’m very proud that I’ve been able to co-author my first book, Breakthrough Leadership: Conversations with Innovative Leaders. I look forward to penning my next book and creating corporate retreats to assist female executives and aspiring business owners with developing their own entrepreneurial strengths.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe the areas that really helped my growth were 1) being open to learning new things, 2) being coachable, 3) and being resourceful. These skills also go hand-in-hand with supporting growth and development, regardless of your industry or area of interest.
There is always something new to learn, even if you don’t agree with it. When you’re receptive to learning new things, you’ll have a broader awareness of issues, can engage as an active participant in in-depth conversations, and make informed decisions. There are many ways of learning new things, and seeking a mentor or coach can produce invaluable insight to areas previously unknown to you, but you must be willing to be coachable. And third, being resourceful is a skill noticed by those you work and collaborate with. Yes, know when to ask questions and know when and where to find the answers on your own. You may even go back to confirm the information you found from the expert, but they will greatly appreciate the initiative you took to source the information on your own.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
Each person should be able to identify their strengths, and surprisingly, when we take the time to focus on this, I feel we will find we may have three or four strengths, not just one or two. Although we may have difficulty initially identifying these, ask yourself what are the areas or things that folks tend to come to you about. When you notice that certain things repeatedly come to mind, that is likely a strength of yours.
Once identified, you definitely want to focus on them and perhaps even try to develop them further. But In doing so, you shouldn’t neglect those areas you aren’t as strong in. If you are looking to start a business, it makes sense that the primary business function will be centered on one or more of your strengths. If creating software is your thing, you may start a business as a software developer. Running a business requires other functions as well, such as finance/accounting and contractual agreements. if numbers aren’t your thing, you need to acknowledge that and hire someone with that expertise so not to get yourself in financial trouble. However, you need to develop enough knowledge to know when your numbers aren’t adding up appropriately and your accountant’s math isn’t math’ing. You don’t want to be so out of the loop and hands-off that you don’t know what’s going on with your business or your livelihood. You may not be able to create a pro forma, but should understand what a debit and a credit is.
Contact Info:
- Website: refineryconsulting.net
- Instagram: therefineryconsulting
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/marianwhite
